Going vegan... need help!

Did you pick a lifestyle choice out of a hat? I don't understand.

I'm actually vegetarian, not vegan (though I have tried it a couple of times). If you're looking for a good source on transitioning, recipes, and some motivational info, I'd recommend Dr. Neal Barnard's "21 Day Kickstart," which is about going vegan and has lots of recipes, advice, and a 21 day meal plan. It actually recommends a low-fat vegan lifestyle. You can make your own judgements there. The website is also good.

http://www.21daykickstart.org/

Did you pick a lifestyle choice out of a hat? I don't understand.

Oh how quickly people post ignorant comments on the message boards these days! Now I remember why I don't post here.

If you aren't going to be helpful, just leave

I have extreme digestion issues, and this is my final resort to solving it. Feel like a jerk now? you should.

I wouldn't jump to being offended by this guy, I can see where he's coming from. It sound a bit odd to say "I've decided to do this thing, but I don't actually know anything about it".

Good luck with your digestion!

PS- I share an office with a vegan, but I'm a happy meat-eater so no tips from me, except that she says most bread is vegan. I didn't expect that.

Did you pick a lifestyle choice out of a hat? I don't understand.

Oh how quickly people post ignorant comments on the message boards these days! Now I remember why I don't post here.

If you aren't going to be helpful, just leave

I have extreme digestion issues, and this is my final resort to solving it. Feel like a jerk now? you should.

I think what they were trying to say is: why did you choose veganism (as opposed to, say, vegetarianism)?

Have you talked to a doctor about these digestion issues? They might be able to better pinpoint what foods you should avoid.

As for suggestions: research, research, research. When I decided to give up meat, I spent hours looking around the internet, reading various articles, and looking for book suggestions. Vegan.org seems to be a good place to start. Make sure you look into supplementing things like B-12 and Omega-3s, too, because those are very important to proper functioning and often have to be supplemented if you're not consuming animal products.

Marshmallows and gelatin are the only foods I can think of right now that are not vegan which aren't entirely obvious up front.

I am already a vegetarian.
Yes I've spoken to my doctor...
I've already researched, this was my last resort to find anything that google might not tell me, from actual people instead of generated articles from a search engine.

Thanks for everything though haha

Ah, OK. Your post kind of sounded like this was your first stop.

Well, beans, nuts, and nut butters are your friends when it comes to getting all your protein. I'm sure that's nothing new, though. Dried apricots are a good source of iron, as well as damn tasty.

I've been delving into vegan baking, lately, and I stumbled upon hellyeahitsvegan.com, which is a vegan recipe blog. I made the pumpkin cupcakes on there, which were DELICIOUS. Even my omnivorous coworkers agreed.

Oh, and I just remembered, cornbread and tortillas are never guaranteed to be vegan. Traditional recipes use lard, which is animal fat. I was looking for a box of cornbread mix at the store the other day and discovered that many of the mixes stick to this tradition. When going for stuff like that, if it's not specifically labeled vegan, make sure you're checking the ingredients twice.

I was a vegan for 3 years and then gave it up. It's not bad at all, but you do need to make sure you're taking supplements, especially your B vitamins. It's difficult because there are so many things you can't eat but you might not be able to tell by just reading the label. A lot of stores will put if a product is vegan on the label now, which is kind of awesome. There are also a ton more substitutions than there were just a few years ago.

This is a little list of the tricky words to avoid...
http://library.thinkquest.org/C004833/avoid_en.shtml

Good luck!!

I would recommend doing some research on the subject - I am all for going vegan, but it's most likely to "stick" if you try to garner some knowledge beforehand.

The bulk of your diet should be whole, nutritious foods - think fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, beans and legumes. My favorite protein sources are tempeh, tofu, seitan, and lentils (in that order!) There are some great vegan foods available, such as plantburger patties and dairy-free cheese and ice cream, but these should be seen as treats and should not at all be the center of your diet. Be sure to look around some vegan food blogs - www.theppk.com is my favorite site for inspiration.

A lot of vegans will tell you that protein isn't really an issue, but if you are exercising, it is very important to get enough protein - consider adding a vegan protein powder, if you exercise enough to need it. 75% gemma pea and 25% brown rice make a great combination for vegan bodies. Also, don't forget about your calcium! Soymilks, broccoli and leafy greens are all high in calcium.

B12 is harder (but not impossible) for vegans to get, but keep in mind that it is a bacteria, not animal-based nutrient. I take B12 supplements (this is the only supplement I take as a vegan), but you can also get it via nutritional yeast (a delicious parmesan cheese replacement).

As for things to watch out for, etc., PETA has a great list of things that are/are not vegan by category, companies that do/do not test on animals, and other guides. As much as I don't really agree with their tactics, they are a great resource for vegan living.

So glad to see another vegan around! Don't hesitate to ask for help if you are feeling stuck or confused about anything.

Protein! Get your fair share. Eat a lot of nuts and beans and tofu. And don't use tofu as a meat substitute, enjoy it in its own right, it sucks up about any flavour you want to give it. Mm..

(You'll want at least 1g of protein per 2 lbs body weight, ideally 1g per 1lbs. This applies to non-vegans as well)

"PS- I share an office with a vegan, but I'm a happy meat-eater so no tips from me, except that she says most bread is vegan. I didn't expect that. "


My god daughter is vegetarian and pointed out to her mum the other day that the bread they were using contained fish oils!.. so do check. Think it was the 50/50 bread (UK brand.. just in case you're in the UK! )

How much wheat do you consume? I might try going gluten free first. Unfortunately gluten is in almost everything we consume and I have been doing my best to remove it. Labels have to be read because you will find gluten in ice cream, ketchup, soy sauce.

I was basically vegan for almost a year (I didn't give up my fish) and found it very difficult. Going out for dinners, even going to my parents place always seemed a chore because I didn't "eat right" in their minds. I consumed tons of brown rice, avocado, tomatos and beans. Almost everything I ate I made at home because you never know what any restaurant will put in items. You may also want to read about ph balanced diets and the alkalarian lifestyle by Dr. Robert Young.

As for tofu, to make it meatier if that's what you desire, freeze it then thaw as the texture changes. It still isn't "meat" but does give it a closer texture.

Good luck in your quest.

I make vegan meals occasionally just because sometimes that's what my body seems to want. I have gluten intolerance, lactose intolerance, and sometimes can't digest certain meat proteins. I can usually tell just by smelling or tasting food whether it's going to sit well with my stomach or not, after many years of this. So if I want vegan, that's what I have.

There's a vegan raw protein powder that I usually have with breakfast - its in my diary. Bread usually is not vegan because most use eggs. I make my own vegan cheese out of almond meal - I modified the recipe for almond mozzarella cheese from this site: http:/ /responsibleeatingandliving.com/

They have lots of other vegan recipes and support info there, too.

Good luck!!

I was vegan for a couple of years, then lacto-ovo vegetarian, and now pretty much a regular omnivore again. Whatever your motivation for becoming vegan, be it ethical or personal health, I will say that it is very doable but with some caveats. First of all, there are many plant-based sources of protein out there, but none are as complete (as far as essential amino acids) as animal protein, so the key is to eat from a variety of sources--beans & legumes, nuts & seeds, whole grains, etc. In addition, you will need to carefully watch your carbohydrate intake, as most of these sources of protein (especially beans and whole grains) also contain significant amounts of carbs. So in other words, if you have vegetarian chili, with beans as your source of protein, you may not want to have bread with it. Soy is the most complete plant-based protein source, with 8 out of 9 amino acids in it, but as with anything, you want to eat it in moderation, as some studies have shown negative effects of eating too much soy. Another nutritional concern with a vegan diet is that it does not give you any vitamin B-12, which is found in animal products and in soil. It is also produced in our own intestines, but not in sufficient quantity. The best way to ingest B-12 supplement is under the tongue, so look for that type of supplement product. The best source of intelligent nutritional information on veganism that I found was the book "Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-Based Diet" by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina.

As far as variety of foods, there are many great vegan cookbooks out there, so I suggest finding one or two and experimenting. But my biggest piece of advice to anyone going vegan or vegetarian is to remember that it requires just as much (if not more) effort to eat a healthy plant-based diet as it does to eat a diet that includes animal products. You still have to watch your intake of fats, carbs and sugars, and preservatives/additives (especially in store-bought processed meat substitutes like seitan, TVP, veggie burgers, etc.).

With that said, good luck!

Coming from a foodie family who eat almost anything and having a vegan sister in law, I would recommend giving your family/ friends some vegan cook books for christmas....as its quite hard to work out what to cook if you invite someone for lunch/dinner.
I should add my SIL is vegan due to hippy parents not dietary needs nor any specific beliefs and is moving towards eating more foods.

However, we tend to cook both meat and vegan dishes for family celebrations so today, we did:
Perfumed leg of lamb
roasted veg with balsamic vinegar
Jerusalem artichokes
Lentil and chestnut loaf topped with cranberries
Rice
Desert was plum crumble with various options - greek yoghurt/cream/ice cream

We have also done porcini mushroom en croute with red wine/ porcini mushroom sauce/ numerous risottos/pasta/curries and are constantly looking at for vegan dishes that look good as well as taste good.

Good cookbooks (not necessarily veggie or vegan but have loads in them) include;
River Cafe (UK)
Madhur Jaffrey - Indian - some are veggie specific/ others have all kinds
Silver Spoon (Italian bible but has loads of veggie stuff)
Rose Elliot - vegan/ veggie specific

I'm not vegan but recently found this website and am in LOVE with Katie's recipes:

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do :drinker:

Kathy

you're not a horrible person because you eat a hamburger.

The cow would be inclined to disagree